View Full Version : Should you confine a swarm in a nuc box?
KYBeeboy
05-31-2008, 02:34 PM
I have caught 3 swarms this season. Was curious should you confine the swarm in the nuc for a day, or let them forage? I have the nuc prepared with at least one frame of drawn comb sometimes 2 with some honey and empty spots for the queen to lay in. I ask this because one swarm I caught left within a day of being hived. I'm new at catching swarms. Thanks for any advice.
mwyatt
05-31-2008, 02:50 PM
I have caught 6 swarms this year and put all but one in a regular hive body. I just added the second body on the first swarm I caught a couple of weeks ago. They are going great, although on that one, I gave them two frames of brood from an established hive. The one I caught yesterday I put in a nuc since is was a small swarm but I let the forage right away.
Jeffzhear
05-31-2008, 03:14 PM
If you are worried, just use a queen excluder on the top of the box and between the bottom of the box and the bottom board. I have done this a few times this year, just to ensure they stayed put. Which they did. Only thing I don't have is NUC queen excluders, but I imagine standard queen excluders can probably be cut to size.
naturebee
05-31-2008, 04:23 PM
I have queen includers cut to fit across the front entrance to prevent the queen from leaving.
I just leave them on for perhaps 3 or 4 days, and simply remove them then. By 3 days, the bees have settled and usually will not leave, even if no eggs are present. And if a virgin queen is present, I need to have the guard off promptly so she can mate.
Another tip. I rarely use drawn comb on swarms. Swarm are so apt and drawing out comb quickly, it is beneficial to take advantage of this, and let them draw 4 or 5 frames out, adding the drawn comb later.
Joe
BULLSEYE BILL
05-31-2008, 09:53 PM
You need to be careful how large of a swarm you are confining to a nuc box. I use a lot of the Styrofoam boxes and a large swarm, especially if on drawn full deeps, can overheat. Using mediums or foundationless frames will give them more room and less the chance of them suffocating. (Yeah I did it once again this year :( ugly story)
The only time I have had swarms abscond is when they are cramped or like yesterday, when I used some frames of honey and dead brood, they didn't like the stench. I re-hived them and they are fine on the clean comb.
The best bet is to hive them in a full sized box as soon as possible. If you put them on used brood comb they will not leave.
I think a frame of brood works just as well.
BULLSEYE BILL
06-01-2008, 10:54 AM
Only if it is still alive. I have to keep three nuc boxes in the truck at all times at this time of year. Carrying brood is not an option for my circumstance.
EngineeringBeek
06-01-2008, 11:17 AM
I have hived 3 swarms this year and placed them into empty top bar hives. Did not confine them, just let them be. Not a single one has left. They've all began foraging the next day and have been drawing out comb nicely.
I just add the brood when I get them home. I never carry it to a swarm.